Railroad-switch



(No Model.)

J. P.- PENROD.

RAILROAD SWITCH.

No. 328,608. Patented Oct. 20, 1885.

WiTNEEEEIEI QYYQM UNITED STATES PATENT UEETQE.

JOHN F. PENROD, OF BLAIRSVILLE INTERSECTION, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,608, dated October 20, 1885.

Application filed September 23, 1884. Serial No. 143,800. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN F. PENROD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Blairsville Intersection, in the county of Westmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Switches; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in railroad-switches; and it consists in the novel construction, organization, and arrangement of the several parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the switch open, and Fig. 2 is a similar view showing it closed. Fig. 3 is a side view, and Figs. 4 and 5 are detail views.

The rails A A constitute the main track. The rails B B are movable sections of a side track or other track onto fand from which it is desired to switch trains from and to the main track. The rail B is pivoted at one end between the rails A A, and its opposite end is movable to and from the track A, and is notched or cut away on its movable end next the said rail A, so that it will fit upon said rail A, as shown in Fig. 2. The rail B occupies a similar position relative to rail A as that occupied by rail B to rail A, and is also notched on its movable end next the rail A, in order to fit over the same. The railsB B are made sufficiently high at their movable ends, or so elevated, as to permit their treads to extend over the treads of rails A A. The rails B B are connected and braced by the bars I) b.

The rails G C are pivoted at one end to the road-bed, on the outer side of the main track, and close to the rails A A, as shown. The opposite ends of these rails are movable over the rails A A, abutting close up against the rails B B, and their said movable ends are cut away or notched on the side next the rails A A, so that they will fitupon said rails when adjusted, as presently described, and rest with their said movable ends close against the movable ends of the rails B B. These rails G O are inclined downward from their movable ends, as shown, and serve to gradually elevate the train passing from the main to the side track, or lower that coming from the side to the main track, as will be readily seen. These rails O O are braced and guided by bars 0, which are secured midway their ends to the under side of the rails, and extend at right angles therefrom inward under the main rails A or A, and outward under a lug or shou1- der, 0, supported on the road-bed or one of the ties.

Guard-rails D D are secured on the main track near the inner sides of rails A A.

In order to operate the movable rails O O B B, I provide the crank-shaft E, journaled to one side of and parallel to the rail A. It is provided with the crank-handle and the cranks c 6 6 connected, respectively, by links 4 f f f with the bar b, the rail 0, and the rail C, so that the rails B B C O can be thrown across the rails A A, as shown in Fig. 2, or

away from same, as shown in Fig. 1.

Various means may be provided for adj usting the several movable rails; but I prefer that shown, as thereby by an easy acting device the several adjustments are readily and simultaneously accomplished.

In practice it will be understood the wheels are caught by the incline of rails O G and elevated to the level of the movable ends of rails B B, onto which they pass, and in the reverse, the incline of said rails 00, islowcred to the level of the main track.

The bars 0 c serve to prevent the rails O C from being jolted or jarred at their movable ends, and thereby take all strain off the pivots of said rails, and by reason of contact with lug c prevent the forcing of said rails out beyond the desired point.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The combination of the rail A, rail 0, ledge or shoulder c, and the brace secured to the rail 0, and having one end projected under the rail A and its other end projected under shoulder c, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in a railroad-switch, of the main track, the rails B B, the pivoted rails O O, inclined upward from their pivots rails B B, the pivoted rails G O, the braceand movable at their upper ends over the rails bars 0, the crank-shaft E, having cranks e e of the main track, and brace-bars c, secured e 0 and the pitman-links f f f, all substanmidway their ends to the under side of rails tially as and for the purposes specified. 5 C G, and extended inward under the main In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in 1 rail and outward under a suitable ledge or presence of two witnesses. shoulder, substantially as and for the purpose JOHN F. PENROD. set forth. Witnesses:

3. The railroad-switch composed, in con- W. R. BoYERs, IO nection with the main track, of the pivoted REUBEN AXE. 

